Making a guest list can be one of the most stressful parts of planning your wedding. Who to invite and who to skip can mean walking a minefield of hurt feelings, arguments, and etiquette gaffes. Stakes are especially high when each additional guest can make your budget skyrocket. Luckily, there are some tips and things you can keep in mind to make it easier when making your list and checking it twice.
Wedding Size

First, you need a general idea of the size of the wedding you want. The bigger the wedding, the more stressful navigating the guest list will be. For example, if you have a wedding where only you and your spouse’s parents are invited, your friends, acquaintances and workmates will understand not being invited. The larger the wedding the more delicately you need to manage other people’s feelings. Who is Paying"
Generally, the couple getting married have ultimate control over the wedding. However, if someone else is paying for it, they should get to make a few decisions, especially regarding the guest list. These demands need to be kept within reason, of course. You don’t want to have to invite 20 extra people to your small 30 person wedding, but if you are having a decent sized ceremony, adding a few random folks that your financier wants to invite shouldn’t be too much of a hardship. (Plus more gifts!) An important exception to this are people that you actively don’t want there, such as an estranged or problematic relative. Spe...